LU News Archive

LU posts record credit hours, second-largest spring enrollment

Lamar University released its official Spring 2011 enrollment figures showing continued growth with record credit hours and its second-largest spring enrollment, officials said.

“Lamar University’s enrollment momentum continues this spring, and we are especially pleased to observe the increase and high numbers in these economically difficult times,” said Kevin Smith, senior associate provost.

The figures show a spring semester credit hour total of 139,636, an increase of .5 percent over last spring’s previous record.

“Lamar is up in undergraduate students,” Smith said, “and since they register for more credit hours, the increase in credit hours was record-setting.”

Overall, however, university headcount enrollment dipped to 13,930, a decrease of 4.5 percent compared to last spring, but still the university’s second-highest spring on record.

A big part of that drop is a matter of the timing of the report and the headcount decline was anticipated, Smith said.

The university’s innovative online Master of Education program has made the university the largest educator of teachers in Texas, Smith said. In recent years, Lamar’s program has accounted for up to 4,000 enrollments in a semester. The courses are not offered on the same schedule as other university classes - that is as fall, spring or summer classes. Instead, students begin the 18-month program as a cohort and take each five-week course together. Due to start dates this semester, the enrollment of a large number of these students fell outside the official 20th class day count.

“The online market was down about 700 students, but another online cohort - not included in these spring numbers - is poised to begin this month,” Smith said.

For more information on enrolling at Lamar University, visit BeACardinal.com or call (409) 880-8316.